If you work in a vet clinic, you probably know that pets are incredibly sensitive to their owner’s anxiety and stress levels. Dogs and cats can be strongly influenced by a pet parent’s emotions, body language or smell. Scientists sometimes call this kind of thing emotional contagion.
A team at the School of Biological Sciences at Queens University in Belfast was so interested in this phenomenon that they set out to scientifically prove that dog owners’ stress affects their dogs’ stress, by using heart rate monitors on pets and their owners.
It may (or may not) surprise you that they found dog heart rate fluctuations mirrored those of their owners experiencing stress or calm.
To me, this finding presents a great opportunity for veterinary staff to help their animal patients, by helping pet parents to manage their stress and anxiety with Box Breathing.
If you’ve tried Box Breathing yourself, you’ve experienced how it can help you to feel more calm and focused. (But if you’re not yet familiar with this technique, here’s how to do Box Breathing.)
Benefits of clients doing Box Breathing
As you may already be thinking: Having calmer, more centered veterinary clients will make the work of veterinarians and their teams a lot easier!
When you get pet parents who are along for exams to try Box Breathing, results can be great all around. You may find:
- Pets with calm owners are often calmer during veterinary care
- Calmer pet parents are less fearful (and less inclined to fret or complain)
- Pet parents get a great way to reduce stress beyond the vet visit
Encouraging clients to try Box Breathing
If your veterinary hospital is in California, where I do a lot of my trainings, clients may be a little more open to trying Box Breathing to calm themselves during their pet’s vet visit.
It’s kind of a California thing to be open to new forms of self-care. But animal hospitals everywhere can actually benefit from introducing stressed-out clients to Box Breathing.
But how do you…you know…share with a pet owner that Box Breathing can help them and their pet feel calmer during their visit?
Options for starting the conversation
- Check in on the client’s emotional state in a friendly way. It can be as simple as saying, “How are things going for you today?” Or: “You look a bit concerned about this exam. Are you okay with being here?”
- See if they’re open to trying a breathing technique. Perhaps say: “Can I share something that’ll help you feel more at ease?” Or: “We have clients who really like a breathing technique we have to feel calmer during pet exams. Would you like to try it?”
- Share your own experience with Box Breathing. For example: “My dog had to have a risky procedure last week. And I was nervous, which made him nervous. But I was able to get us both feeling calmer, by doing some Box Breathing first.”
Pro Tip: If your client’s a bit macho, mention that Navy Seals use Box Breathing. Or that it’s also called Sniper Breathing.
PRO TIP: For macho clients
Mention Navy Seals use Box Breathing. If yo
Be ready for clients to do Box Breathing!
Once clients show an interest in Box Breathing, have a simple approach ready to teach them the technique.
The great thing is a couple of cycles of Box Breathing can be done in less than a minute!
Tips for teaching the breathing
Pro Tip: Encourage clients to try Box Breathing while waiting for their pet’s exam, with posters or handouts in waiting rooms or exam rooms explaining the technique.
Want Box Breathing posters or handouts?
Practice Smarts is now designing Box Breathing posters and handouts for use in veterinary clinic waiting rooms and exam rooms. Click here and ask to join the waitlist, if you’re interested.